Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07BEIRUT1384
2007-09-10 16:07:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Beirut
Cable title:
LEBANON: USG RESPONDS TO PM'S APPEAL TO REBUILD
how-toVZCZCXRO2996 OO RUEHAG RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHROV DE RUEHLB #1384 2531607 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 101607Z SEP 07 FM AMEMBASSY BEIRUT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9344 INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1472 RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 1550 RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIRUT 001384
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/GAVITO/HARDING
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/10/2017
TAGS: PGOV KPAL PTER KPAO LE
SUBJECT: LEBANON: USG RESPONDS TO PM'S APPEAL TO REBUILD
NAHR EL-BARED
Classified By: DCM William Grant for Reasons: Section 1.4 (b) and (d).
SUMMARY
-------
C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIRUT 001384
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/GAVITO/HARDING
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/10/2017
TAGS: PGOV KPAL PTER KPAO LE
SUBJECT: LEBANON: USG RESPONDS TO PM'S APPEAL TO REBUILD
NAHR EL-BARED
Classified By: DCM William Grant for Reasons: Section 1.4 (b) and (d).
SUMMARY
--------------
1. (SBU) At a widely attended international donors conference
on September 10, Prime Minister Siniora formally launched the
appeal to rebuild the Nahr al-Bared refugee camp and to
assist Lebanese citizens in the surrounding area who had been
impacted by the 105-day armed conflict. UNRWA
Commissioner-General Karen Abu Zayd sought USD 55 million to
meet the emergency needs of affected population for the first
year. The GOL's High Relief Commission also prepared a
report calling for USD 28.5 million for relief,
reconstruction and recovery in the surrounding municipalities
outside the camp. The USG was one of only two donors to come
forward with a firm public commitment and, with the USD 10
million for UNRWA and USD 100,000 from USAID/OFDA, we were by
far the most generous. End Summary.
2. (SBU) Prime Minister Siniora personally chaired the
conference titled "Nahr el-Bared Crisis Appeal: Post-Conflict
Relief, Recovery and Reconstruction." The Ambassador was
head of U.S. delegation and was accompanied by USAID Mission
Director, Special Assistant, and PRM Regional Coordinator.
The Prime Minister's opening remarks set the tone for the
conference. He called the situation in Nahr el-Bared a
"wake-up call" and that the stakes remain very high for those
who face the threat of violent extremism. He said, "The
challenge of peacemaking is often greater than the challenge
of war and the challenges were face in Nahr al-Bared are
manifold." He was pleased with the GOL's collaboration with
the PLO to prevent violence from spreading to other camps.
3. (SBU) The PM decided to declare Nahr al-Bared and the
surrounding area as one single disaster area, as both
Palestinian and Lebanese populations suffered. UNRWA reps
also confirmed that, for the provision of shelter, UNRWA also
had decided to combine the two populations in their emergency
relief efforts. The PM had assured residents of Nahr
el-Bared that they would be able to return to their homes and
he reiterated this commitment during his speech. "This
cannot be another broken promise to the Palestinians." He
hopes to use this rebuilding effort as an opportunity to
enter into a new era of Lebanese-Palestinian relations.
(Note: PM's remarks and all other conference documents can be
found at www.lpdc.gov.lb. End Note.)
4. (SBU) The conference was well attended by local embassies,
international organizations and NGOs. In addition to the
U.S. contribution, the Norwegians came forward with a USD 1.7
contribution to UNRWA's Emergency Appeal. The Italians said
they were waiting for final confirmation, but they expect to
donate 2 million euros. The German intervention was
confusing to both Embassy and UNRWA reps. They said they
would donate USD 5.4 million, but it was unclear if this was
new money directly for the emergency appeal. The World Bank
is setting up a trust fund, but it appears that there are no
current World Bank contributions in the account. World Bank
reps have told UNRWA that they are able to offer "technical
expertise" at this time. The United Arab Emirates noted
their USD 5 million contribution in the form of modular
homes, which was announced by the PLO and the GOL in August.
Other donors said they would take time to read the
assessments distributed by the PM today before deciding on
their final amounts.
5. (C) The USG was the first to speak after the prepared
speeches and the GOL contacts were pleased with our ability
to publicly announce such a substantial contribution today.
UNRWA is only counting the U.S. and Norwegian contributions
to date, so the total from today's conference stands at USD
11.7 million for UNRWA, plus the USD 100,000 from USAID/OFDA
which will be donated via a local NGO. End Comment.
FELTMAN
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/GAVITO/HARDING
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/10/2017
TAGS: PGOV KPAL PTER KPAO LE
SUBJECT: LEBANON: USG RESPONDS TO PM'S APPEAL TO REBUILD
NAHR EL-BARED
Classified By: DCM William Grant for Reasons: Section 1.4 (b) and (d).
SUMMARY
--------------
1. (SBU) At a widely attended international donors conference
on September 10, Prime Minister Siniora formally launched the
appeal to rebuild the Nahr al-Bared refugee camp and to
assist Lebanese citizens in the surrounding area who had been
impacted by the 105-day armed conflict. UNRWA
Commissioner-General Karen Abu Zayd sought USD 55 million to
meet the emergency needs of affected population for the first
year. The GOL's High Relief Commission also prepared a
report calling for USD 28.5 million for relief,
reconstruction and recovery in the surrounding municipalities
outside the camp. The USG was one of only two donors to come
forward with a firm public commitment and, with the USD 10
million for UNRWA and USD 100,000 from USAID/OFDA, we were by
far the most generous. End Summary.
2. (SBU) Prime Minister Siniora personally chaired the
conference titled "Nahr el-Bared Crisis Appeal: Post-Conflict
Relief, Recovery and Reconstruction." The Ambassador was
head of U.S. delegation and was accompanied by USAID Mission
Director, Special Assistant, and PRM Regional Coordinator.
The Prime Minister's opening remarks set the tone for the
conference. He called the situation in Nahr el-Bared a
"wake-up call" and that the stakes remain very high for those
who face the threat of violent extremism. He said, "The
challenge of peacemaking is often greater than the challenge
of war and the challenges were face in Nahr al-Bared are
manifold." He was pleased with the GOL's collaboration with
the PLO to prevent violence from spreading to other camps.
3. (SBU) The PM decided to declare Nahr al-Bared and the
surrounding area as one single disaster area, as both
Palestinian and Lebanese populations suffered. UNRWA reps
also confirmed that, for the provision of shelter, UNRWA also
had decided to combine the two populations in their emergency
relief efforts. The PM had assured residents of Nahr
el-Bared that they would be able to return to their homes and
he reiterated this commitment during his speech. "This
cannot be another broken promise to the Palestinians." He
hopes to use this rebuilding effort as an opportunity to
enter into a new era of Lebanese-Palestinian relations.
(Note: PM's remarks and all other conference documents can be
found at www.lpdc.gov.lb. End Note.)
4. (SBU) The conference was well attended by local embassies,
international organizations and NGOs. In addition to the
U.S. contribution, the Norwegians came forward with a USD 1.7
contribution to UNRWA's Emergency Appeal. The Italians said
they were waiting for final confirmation, but they expect to
donate 2 million euros. The German intervention was
confusing to both Embassy and UNRWA reps. They said they
would donate USD 5.4 million, but it was unclear if this was
new money directly for the emergency appeal. The World Bank
is setting up a trust fund, but it appears that there are no
current World Bank contributions in the account. World Bank
reps have told UNRWA that they are able to offer "technical
expertise" at this time. The United Arab Emirates noted
their USD 5 million contribution in the form of modular
homes, which was announced by the PLO and the GOL in August.
Other donors said they would take time to read the
assessments distributed by the PM today before deciding on
their final amounts.
5. (C) The USG was the first to speak after the prepared
speeches and the GOL contacts were pleased with our ability
to publicly announce such a substantial contribution today.
UNRWA is only counting the U.S. and Norwegian contributions
to date, so the total from today's conference stands at USD
11.7 million for UNRWA, plus the USD 100,000 from USAID/OFDA
which will be donated via a local NGO. End Comment.
FELTMAN